Roll Call

The House : Housing Bill

By a vote of 179-246, the House rejected a Republican alternative to a bill drafted by Democrats (HR 4) authorizing $15.9 billion in housing and community development programs for the next fiscal year. The bill, which was sent to conference with the Senate, funds more than 50 programs and goes nearly $6 billion beyond President Reagan's budget request .

This amendment sought to trim $1.7 billion, cutting spending for programs such as public housing and Section 8 rental assistance for the poor. It also tried to eliminate a new $100-million program under which moderate- and low-income people would get forgiveable $15,000 loans for home purchases.

David Dreier (R-La Verne), who voted for the substitute, called the bill "a menace to those who benefit from, administer and pay for our housing and community development programs."

Amendment foe Henry B. Gonzalez (D-Tex.) said the bill's outlay for housing is less than was spent before the Reagan Administration took office.

By a vote of 176 to 249, the House rejected an amendment to eliminate language on behalf of collective bargaining from the fiscal 1988 omnibus housing and community development bill (above). At issue was a requirement in the bill that existing bargaining agreements be preserved when management of a public housing project is transferred from a housing authority to a tenant-run corporation. The bill enables tenants to take control of their housing complexes and hire new personnel for maintenance and other tasks.

Supporters of the amendment said the bill's collective bargaining language would make it difficult for tenants to manage their units efficiently and economically, while opponents said the requirement only preserves existing legal agreements.

Members voting yes wanted to strike the language in behalf of collective bargaining.